The Traitors Daughter
by fantasybluemist
Summary: Mhairi is a shy girl who lives in the mountains of Eraklyon She hides the secret of who are parents really are When her guardian becomes ill she gives up her dream to work at the palace to support him But soon enough she is whisked away to Aflea to become a fairy. She finds friendship and hope but is challenged by hidden darkness within Does she have to become her parents daughter?
1. 16 years previously

_16 years previously…_

The blizzard swarmed round the mountains of Eraklyon. It had been the worst winter they had had for centuries. The little village of Mistyface was tucked in amongst the peaks, its residents sheltering round the fires in their houses from the storm. And in one croft is where the story begins. Three figures stood around the fire clasping their winter cloaks around them. The first figure spoke, an older man with muscles of stone and a short bristly brown beard.

"What you are doing is wrong Alasdair. You will not succeed. The rebellion is not strong. Failure is eminent if you act now"

"I understand Robert but we have to put our plan into action now. We have waited too long! The mountain and rural communities are vanishing from famine and the royal court is failing to do anything to save our families and children. We will die if we stand back for another second. The royal family must be brought down. They must die"

A woman clutched Alasdair's arm in love and support. "It is you who are in the wrong Robert. How can you sit back and watch another child die from hunger and exhaustion? We have to do something that will make them see. Make them see our suffering" Tears rolled down her face as she looked at her baby crying in the corner, wrapped up in a bundle of wool for warmth. She did not pick her child up or try to comfort it but looked back at Robert as hard as stone.

"You can not stop death with more death. By murdering the royals you will doom us as to abandonment from the kingdom. Agather, the Rebellion you lead has passion but not numbers. I'm afraid that you will not return. You will be caught and will face your own death. It is immoral. I will have no further association with the rebellion" Robert banged his fists in anger on the table. "How about your child Alasdair! Are you going to leave her alone like this! You know that there is a chance you will be killed, what will happen to her future?"

Alasdair slowly inhaled listening to his crying girl. He was heartbroken to leave her but stood firmly with his position.

"Nothing you can say will stop us from going Robert, but if we do fail we ask you with all our heart that remains that you look after Mhairi. We do this for her. We want her to have a future."

Robert nodded. He couldn't stop his eyes watering at the sight of the wailing helpless child.

"Then this is where we part ways. You have been a loyal and faithful friend Robert, remember me with the pride of the mountains' Alastair reached out his hand and Robert shook it with a strong grip.

"Alastair, Agather I beg you to reconsider your decision" Robert said with desperation in his voice. But his friends were opening the door letting a gust of wind that blue out the fire. Agather turned around to Robert her face now soft in the gloom of the darkness.

"Robert, raise her like she was your own with all the love you have. Let her know what we did was for our own love for her but no one must know that her parents were the murderers of the royals as they will be prejudiced and treat her as a child of a traitor not who she really is. Take care my darling"

And with a swish of a cloak she vanished into the night.

Down the mountain they flew through the night, the snow biting their faces, followed by the small group that was the rebellion. They landed outside the royal palace and with swords shaking in their hands they swiftly used the shadows to sneak through the door and past the guards, turning themselves into a silver mist to quickly but delicately twist through the corridors and through the keyholes in doors.

Agather and Alasdair materialised and lowered their feet onto a soft red carpet that looked black in the darkness of the room. The storm could no longer be heard from outside and moonlight shone through the windows. The two looked at each other in fear and then cunningly to a cot where the infant prince sky slept. Dagger trembling in hand Agather crept soundlessly to where the child slept. The king and queen breathed deep in sleep unaware of the horror that had entered their bedroom. Agather raised her dagger above her head over the sleeping child and just as she was about to lunge a piercing scream filled the palace. Agather looked round in shock and dropped her weapon as the queen jerked upright in bed starring right at her. Lights were switched on blinding the criminals as guards charged into the room seizing them and surrounding the king, queen and prince in protection.

The traitors to the kingdom were dragged kicking and screaming out of the room to the dungeons. This was last to be heard of them as they were frozen in the omega dimension a week later for attempted murder of the prince sky and the king and queen of Eraklyon.


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

My parents never did succeed in their villainous plot to murder the royal family. And I think I'm glad that they didn't. Though they were classed as murderers they never had blood on their hands and that would hurt me more than having failed killers as family. Though they did get people to hear our voice. There was an inquest into why someone would want to kill the king in a planet that was supposed to be so valiant and pure. And that brought help to our mountain region. They finally listened to our pleas for help and our way of life was saved. Its bittersweet how my parents had to turn into traitors and die to save our many communities up here in the peaks of Eraklyon and like Robert I do not agree with their actions. Maybe instead of a rebellion we could have moved to lower ground where the weather conditions are more forgiving but our villages how been here for centuries and my parents and their followers were not going to leave the place our ancestors had created or our traditions that have been engraved in the stone that surrounds us. It is a place worth fighting for. It is beautiful up in the clouds where the air is thin and clean and the light shines golden upon the frosty ground. And in the summer there is no place you would rather be then lying in a meadow that grows through the harsh conditions of the mountains.

No one knows who my parents are a part from me and Robert. He made up an impossible story of finding me in the snow in the blizzard sixteen years ago and falling in love with me the minute he saw me. The tale is maybe a bit too sweet to be believed and what baby could survive alone in the cold of a blizzard? But Robert may be tough and vulgar on the outside but he is as soft as a kitten within. And anyway, the villagers of Mistyface are so daft that they would believe any funny story. As far as anyone knows Agather and Alasdair O'Donnell never had a child. It fair scunners you how no one could know a little detail like that but I'm glad of it. No one has much respect here for my parents as their murderous ambitions tainted the reputation of the peaceful life of the mountains. But no matter what people think our love for our mountain home and neighbours has never vanished. Robert's kind heart couldn't have been bigger towards his dead friends child. As a child I would watch him as he worked as a blacksmith in his workshop before I went to school. The sound of sharp clangs of iron will always be associated with my childhood. Robert taught me the meaning of hard work, of resilience and most of all of kindness. Though as daft as he is I love him as a father and could never think of a nicer and more giving person than Robert.

But as amazing as the person you love the most may be, the demons are never far away. Darkness does not care whom you are, it will find you, and age cannot be prevented. Robert grew more elderly as I grew into a strong girl and his health finally failed him. He could no longer work and needed care and medicine. The supplies sent up to the village from below the mountains were not enough to help him regain his strength. I had always dreamt of continuing my education to be a fairy that could protect my people and carry on the torch of Roberts's kindness. But I knew then that I would have to hold on to my dream and save it for another day if I was to provide the care that Robert needed. I loved him so dearly that I was prepared to leave my mountain school and my dream to travel down the mountain to work at the palace for money to buy medicine and food. As strange as it might sound to work for the people that my parents wanted to kill, coming from an isolated place, it was hard to find work and the palace were willing to hire me as a maid for princess Diaspro no matter my lack of experience. How was I to know that there was a reason for their desperation to hire a maid for the princess no matter what her previous experience was? I was too daft and naïve to question them and dove into the job headfirst. That was the worst and in the end the most brilliant decision I ever made.


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

"I THOUGHT I TOLD YOU TO GET MY NEW DRESS FROM THE ROYAL SEAMSTRESS BY THE TIME I RETURNED FROM MY AFTERNOON WALK!"

Over the past eight months working at the castle I have developed reflexes to know when to duck when the princess is in a temper. I quickly crouch to the floor as a china plate is thrown across her bedroom and smashes on the wall behind me.

I say in a small shaky voice, "I'm sorry your highness but your dress is not finished yet. They told me that it will be definitely ready by tomorrow morning "

I cover my face just in case something else breakable is thrown at me. Working at the palace has been so dour that sometimes I have felt like pulling out my eyebrows. Diaspro has a tongue that would clip clouts. Though I'm sure even a clout has better manners that she has. I have scrubbed and dressed and tidied and cooked and cleaned, brought her breakfast in the morning, cleaned the broken china, gotten hardly a wink of sleep and watched my face grow tired and pale, my hands red and sore and my hopes and dreams get stolen by my demons. But when I do have a moment to myself I think of my home, the grey stone of the mountains, the pearly mist that hugs you out of your bed in he mourning and of Roberts last letter. How he wrote about how he was able to get out of bed for the first time in months and how our neighbour sally has been taking extra good care of him. And how he misses me. I miss him too.

I carefully lift my arms away from my eyes to look at Diaspro. Though she is beautiful she fell looks like the devil when her eyebrows are scrunched like that.

"Are you listening now? Good. I want you clean up this mess that you caused, then go and get my dress. I want my new gown now no matter how useless you are at simple tasks. I mean look at you. You look so ugly standing there with that grubby dress tangled hair and freckles. Have you ever even taken a bath? I've met ogres that smell nicer than you do. You'll never be anything more than a pathetic maid. Now get out my sight you pathetic piece of work"

She strides out of the room nostrils flared. After all these months of getting shouted at her words have started to hurt. I flop onto my knees where the broken pieces of crockery are and feel a hot tear roll down my cheek. Ever since I got here I have been afraid of being recognised as the daughter of the murderers. But I don't know where else to go. I look at my reflection in the mirror in the corner of the room. She's right. I am ugly. My curly auburn hair lays lank in an untidy bun, my eyes are red and sore, there is dirt on my face, my dress is old fashioned and worn and my face has the saddest expression that has taken away any remaining light from my appearance.

"Are you all right Mhairi?' I turn away from the mirror and look at the wide doorway.

'Have you been guarding the door the whole time Calder?' I quickly wipe away the tear and try to straighten my hair.

"I suppose I've turned into a wallflower" he chuckled. Calder is one of the castle guards. He thinks I'm mad for putting up with Diaspro but I don't know why he thinks that because he himself has had one or two plant pots thrown at him. He brushes a tawny curl out of his eyes and I quickly realise that I'm staring and start picking up the broken plate, eyes fixed on the fragments.

'You don't believe Diaspro do you? You know I can try and get you a job in the kitchens if you want, I know some people down there and I'm sure they will be happy to have you.' Though I have finished picking up the plate I continue to stare at the carpet.

"That's very nice of you Calder but I'm sure Diaspro would kick me out of the palace if I dared to leave her. And besides I need the pay from this job." I feel bad and rude for declining his offer as he was prepared to trouble himself for a poor country girl like me but what I said was true. Diaspro holds grudges.

'Suit yourself then. But don't listen to Diaspro. She over works you, you know? I better follow her in case she starts throwing plant pots at the gardeners.'

Shaking off the dust from my skirt I stand up. I hope that I didn't offend Calder. I think he has been the only one that has talked to me as a friend since I started working here.

As I walk down the corridors I can't help but picture my parents. The palace is beautiful with its golden tapestries and lavender walls but it is tainted by my unhappiness. I have never seen the royal family apart from Diaspro but no one knows why she is still allowed here because of all the bad things she tried to do. But she keeps reappearing in Eraklyon at any opportunity to cause trouble.

The palace is warm and dry unlike my home and the weather is considerably less dreich. But I feel so lonely here and I can't see anyway of going back to my home until Robert gets better. I keep forgetting that I have turned down many opportunities to leave but I feel so anxious away from home that it can be hard to even go outside sometimes.

I spend the rest of the day scrubbing the marble floor of the hall of Armour and daydream about the brave knights and fairies that fought with these shining shields and swords. I imagine myself as a warrior fairy protecting my realm from danger, how much power I could hold, I could fly away from hear, heal Robert…

Hours pass by and my hands become wrinkled with the soap water. My boots slip on the wet floor. The taps and clicks that's my boots make on the floor sound so fresh and crisp. I tap my boots on the marble to hear the sound. I smile. Looking around to see that no one is watching, I start to spin and twirl on the slippery surface for the fun of it. My surroundings turn into a whirling blur of colours and all I can hear is the tapping of my shoes and my own thoughts. I reach out my arms so I spin faster and faster. I let myself lose control completely and can't stop spinning. I feel the air whoosh around my fingertips. I stretch out my fingers until they hurt and make the air create shapes and pictures. Pictures that only I can see in the invisible matter. I am far away from the palace, from reality.

I stop suddenly. My smile fades.

Again I look at my appearance in he shining marble floor. My chest tightens, as I dislike what I see.


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter three

Thankfully Diaspro's dress was finished and pressed by the afternoon. I carefully carry it to her room and place it a mannequin by the window. I gaze upon the beautiful flowing red velvet ruffles and glowing gems of her new gown. For a moment I imagine that the mannequin wearing the gown is Diaspro. I recreate her as someone who is as sweet and kind as her features.

"Oh Diaspro your dress is beautiful on you" I say with a curtsy.

" _Why thank you Mhairi, you must have gone through a lot of trouble to get my dress made so quickly,"_ she says back with a glowing smile of gratitude.

"It was my pleasure, you are sure to be the bell of the ball!"

 _"And so will you Mhairi, you have worked so hard, you deserve to go dancing with me. Here wear one of my old dresses, you will be as pretty as me tonight!"_

"Oh, you are so generous Diaspro!"

I stop and smile a moment at my imagination. Reality comes back and the mannequin sits still and lifeless. How could I ever let myself dream like that? As if Diaspro could ever be so nice. I continue to stare at the dress.

Am I jealous? I couldn't be. Diaspro has what seems to be a perfect life but I could never see myself apart from the mountain air. But imagine owning a dress like this…

But as soon as I begin to drift back into my imagination I get yanked back to real life.

"What is _this?_ " Diaspro stands with her arms folded in the centre of the room.

"Its your dress Miss, isn't it gorgeous?" I sheepishly try to give her a compliment so she doesn't get in a rage. She stares at the dress examining it from head to toe. The silence does not pass quickly and after the tense moment she just says,

"I don't like it, take it away." And waves her hand to dismiss me. I stand still in frozen in disappointment.

"But-"

"Didn't you hear me? get out" she sat down on her bed and started texting, ignoring me.

"The seamstress went through so much trouble to finish the dress so quickly for you. And you chose the pattern yourself. It couldn't more majestic." My voice quivers in nervousness. I wanted her to accept the dress desperately. It was impossible for people to go through any more trouble to make a dress even more perfect then the one standing in front of her.

"Its all wrong. I'll look hideous in it. It's a crime against fashion, not like you would know anything about that. Now, GET OUT!"

"But maybe if you just-"

"I TOLD YOU I HATE IT"

"I don't think you are being very considerate" Our words started to be spoken at the same time turning it into a confusing sound with no meaning.

"YOU UNGRATFUL SWINE! Without me you would be on the streets as mud on peoples boots! So do as I say and take this dress away! NOW!"

"Only this morning-"

"Enough!" she jerks up to her feet and before I could take cover, she skelped me on my face. I fall to the floor in shock. Her long nails had torn my cheek and a tear of blood ran down my face. Tears escaped from my eyes.

Maybe she never meant to hurt me this much but what has been done cannot be taken back.

In anger I felt my magic come out of me. The dress flew into the mirror making it shatter with an unnaturally loud bang that echoed out of the room.

I stood up and looked at Diaspro with a mixture of fear and anger. My hair stuck to my face, moist with tears. Diaspro stared back in shock at the quaint little servant that had destroyed her property. She looked at the pain on my face.

"I-I… never" she started to say but couldn't finish. The noise of the broken mirror had caused alarm through the palace.

A young woman with beautiful long marigold- red hair burst into the room. I recognised her instantly. The whole universe would recognise her in a heartbeat.

"What's going on in here?" Bloom demanded. She looked around the room at the broken mirror, the discarded dress, Diaspro's shocked face and then at my tears. I was so surprised to see her here. I knew she was visiting prince sky but I have never known any royals, yet alone the girl who saved Sparks.

"Go away bloom, I'm handling this!" Diaspro shouted at bloom but looked at me. Her face had turned from shock to anger.

"I'm sorry Diaspro, I-I'll fix it. I'll get you a new dress like you wanted." I say trying to pick up the pieces of glass.

"Your scaring her Diaspro!" bloom exclaimed.

"Just run back to Sky and let me deal with this Bloom!" Diaspro shouted angrily back.

"That's enough!" Bloom walks over to me calmly and reached out her hand to help me up. I put my shaky, cold hand into hers. I feel her hand squeeze mine tightly in comfort.

"Come with me, we'll get you cleaned up" Bloom smiles. I smile back through my tears. She leads me out of the room.

"Don't expect that I'll let you come back! You're fired!" Diaspro shouts after me. I refuse to listen.


End file.
